I'm not sure if this thread belongs in T&T or in General. Mods feel free to move it. Anyway...

I just bought a CZ-82 pistol, and I love it. It came with a nylon holster, RH of course. I'm a southpaw.

I don't have my carry license yet, but was planning to carry a P3AT with a belt clip when I get it. I carry it at home sometimes just to get used to it. But this CZ holster got me to thinking... What about wearing the holster on my left (strong) side with the butt forward? Is this a viable carry method if I practice the draw? It would certainly make it easier to draw with my weak hand if I ever have to. All the "cavalry draw" discussions I've seen have been about small-of-back carry, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I have a nice LH holster for my 4" K-frame revolver, maybe I should just use that...

Well, my first thought is you leave a gun with its grip point out and on the right side of the attacker. Of course there are ways of stopping this threat. Aside from that I don't see much of a problem, then again I may not be the best to ask...

If you carry a pocket knife I have a friend that carries one on his right side in case his left arm is disabled for whatever reason. I considered it a good idea since his strong side is where he carries and having the knife offers a good attack if they want to wrestle for the gun.

What you're describing is a cross-draw, but for situations where your strong side arm is tied up doing something else or disabled. It's called the "Prairie Twist Draw"...or more often, the INFAMOUS Prairie Twist Draw.

Doing this will get you thrown out of any shooting competition in the world, and clean off of most ranges if the rangemaster spots you. Can you see why? You're going to "sweep" both femoral arteries plus your balls on the draw.

It's worth knowing about as a last-ditch emergency draw...but practice with an UNLOADED GUN ONLY.

I carry crossdraw a bit like what's shown in these pics, and I do know the Prairie Twist. My finger-off-trigger drill is ingrained deeply enough that it would probably be safe. My holster is much higher-ride than what's shown here, and much more vertical and close in to the body.

For some situations I'd need the Prairie Twist draw - a classic example is carjacking defense when the assailant comes in from the passenger side which happens more often than you'd think. In this case you have to fend him off right-handed and do a Prairie Twist with the left...otherwise, any attempt at a right-hander's normal crossdraw will just give him the gun (or result in a cut/bludgeoned right hand on your part.

Personally, I think there has to be some misunderstanding regarding the "cavalryman's draw". I don't think it was a primary draw method much, I think they were doing crossdraw as primary, Prairie Twist in an emergency. I've looked at various period pics of Wild Bill Hickock's carry method which was loosely similar to mine in position, angle and ride height, and I think he was doing exactly what I do except with two guns of course.

From what I understand, cavalry draw is basically drawing from a cross draw holster on the wrong side. The cavalry carried swords on the weak (right) side for cross draw, and a pistol on the right for backup. The pistol could be drawn with the weak hand, cross draw, or the right hand, "cavalry draw".

I'm not sure that it would sweep anything or anyone; not like how a crossdraw sweeps everybody on one side of the range. I'll have to practice that "prairie twist" and see -- unloaded gun of course. I think this holster would cant the gun to the *back* if worn on the left side.

Do ranges allow draws from a shoulder holster? (serious question; I don't know) I'm not sure my range allows any drawing and firing from any holster.

A horseman's primary weapon was supposed to be his sabre and the pistol was a backup weapon for his weak hand. So they wore crossdraw holsters on the right side for their left hand. (at least that's what I've read) They developed that twist draw so they could draw the butt-forward gun with their right hand -- it is supposedly a very fast draw once you practice it.

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"The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun"

It's possible to avoid sweeping with crossdraw if you approach the firing line "bladed" and bring the gun up into a Weaver hold.

A lot of ranges and shooting schools ban crossdraw and shoulder rigs for the same reasons...esp. horizontal shoulder rigs, those are notorious. Vertical, it's POSSIBLE to avoid sweeping the same way as crossdraw.

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